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Leyland 'totally relaxed' about All-Star rosters

Leyland 'totally relaxed' about All-Star rosters

Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland before the start of an exhibition spring training baseball game against the Miami Marlins Monday, March 25, 2013, in Jupiter, Fla. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

By Jason Beck
/
MLB.com |

CLEVELAND -- Tigers manager Jim Leyland didn't say his American League All-Star roster scenarios were set depending on the outcomes of the fan vote for the starting lineup and the player vote for most pitchers and reserves. However, he sounded Friday like a manager whose work picking out All-Stars was done.

"I'm totally relaxed right now," Leyland said, "totally relaxed."

Leyland estimated he spent at least five hours over the course of four days in Toronto working on potential All-Star rosters with his coaches and with Major League Baseball officials. He did some more work on Friday at Progressive Field before rosters are announced live on FOX Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Leyland will not talk about specific potential All-Stars until then. However, he knows the drill once rosters are announced.

"There will be guys not on the All-Star team that deserve to be on the All-Star team," Leyland said. "But there will be no guys on the All-Star team who don't deserve to be."

Terry Francona, who had Leyland on his coaching staff when he managed the AL All-Stars in 2008, trusts his process.

"If anybody's known Jim Leyland for 30 seconds, then you know he's going to spend [time], he's going to treat it with so much integrity," Francona said. "There's so many things you have to take into consideration and so many things that are out of the manager's hands -- that the league handles, voting, injuries -- but like I said, knowing Leyland like I do, it'll be handled with integrity and a lot of passion. He'll do it right."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.